Tag Archives: Fighting to Survive

Picking up where The First Days ends, Fighting to Survive features the further zombie-killing, civilization-saving adventures of a pair of sexy, kick butt heroines and the men who love them. A hundred or so survivors of the zombie plague have found tenuous safety in the walled off center of a small Texas town. Now the hard work of survival begins—finding enough food; creating safe, weather-resistant shelter; establishing laws; and fighting off both the undead who want to eat them and the living bandits who want to rob and kill them.

REVIEW

Zombies, and bandits, and death. Oh, my. Seriously though– Be still my beating heart. I LOVED this book despite the fact that it gave me nightmares, raised my blood pressure, and caused me more than just a little discomfort. Although I tend to be a bit Scrooge-like when it comes to handing out ratings, I can’t deny Rhiannon Frater 5 stars for Fighting to Survive, book two in the As the World Dies series.

While I enjoyed The First Days, Fighting to Survive surpasses its predecessor in creepiness, chills and downright desperate behavior. Katie and Jenni return just as tough and determined in book two as they work with the other survivors to create a more comfortable and sustainable environment within the fort. In addition to facing the obvious challenges, the women are forced to face the ghosts of their pasts, the grief of losing their loved ones, and the guilt that comes with survival. Despite the relative protection of the fort and the stability it provides, Fighting to Survive is an emotional rollercoaster and still manages to move at a breakneck pace. I couldn’t put it down because I just had to know what was going to happen next. In fact, I read so late into the night that I dreamt of zombies and other more terrifying creatures– desperate men.

The most disturbing part of this book also happens to one of the reasons I gave it a 5 star rating. Frater isn’t afraid to explore the darkest side of human nature and is quite in your face about the level of depravity among desperate, lawless men. Calling them bandits makes these heinous creatures sound almost human. I assure you they are not. And yet, I have no doubt that in a world gone to hell, zombies would be only one of the monsters to fear.

Fighting to Survive is truly a tale of survival. It’s not just about running endlessly from zombies or bashing in their heads, but of taking what joy you can from life and making the hard choices that no one else can or will. Filled with strong, endearing (and sometimes downright loca) characters, Fighting to survive will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Definitely a must read for fans of all things zombie!

It was starting to feel like November might never arrive, perhaps because I’ve been looking forward to it for so long. Not because I particularly love November or because I’m looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday (although I do love turkey!), but because there are a whole stack of books releasing this month that I can’t wait to get my hands on! Now I just have to find the time to read them all. Maybe we’ll get lucky and another Nor’easter will grace the east coast leaving me cuddled up at home with a good book for days!

(Hey,a girl can dream.)

Fighting to Survive (As the World Dies #2) by Rhiannon Frater

Great Hexpectations (Dulcie O’Neil #3) by H.P. Mallory

Crossed (Matched #2) by Allie Condie

Hollowmen (The Hollows #2) by Amanda Hocking

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi

What books are you waiting for? I’m always looking for new titles to add to my TBR list!

J.J. Bonds is an independent author who writes Young Adult Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy. She is the author of the bestselling Crossroads Academy series. J.J. lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where her obsession with all things paranormal keeps life interesting. She lives with her husband, daughter, and one rambunctious K9. Loves Buffy, Mexican food, and zombies. Sings off-key.